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chocolate covered strawberries, Customer Appreciation, Feedback, Fruit Club, Gift Baskets, Party!, Summer Time Gift

Fourth of July Party Ideas

June 21, 2012
fourth of july chocolate covered strawberries

fourth of july chocolate covered strawberriesWelcome back readers,

I promise I’ll hold off on the picnic blogs for a while now, I think I got it all out of my system (at least until I try all of your suggestions out). But please let me know if any of you try out your own picnic ideas or the delicious recipes featured last week, and send pictures! We have some winners to announce who can be our first to try out the picnic ideas. Congratulations to Jean C (June 14, 2012 at 8:18 pm), bessie burnsed (June 15, 2012 at 11:05 am), Ashley (June 16, 2012 at 5:19 pm), Kristen eby (June 18, 2012 at 1:11 am), and Jessica Beard (June 18, 2012 at 2:56 pm)! Please email your info to me at amariscal@1800flowers.com and I can send out your prize! 

We’re so close to July, which is crazy to me because I feel like May was just yesterday! July is the month for camping, barbeques, and tons of outdoor summer parties. And we have our biggest summer party coming up: Fourth of July! What could be better than some fun in the sun, celebrating with red, white, and blue? Also a Fourth of July party means one of my favorite things about summer: Fireworks. There is something very right about enjoying something off the grill, a patriotic dessert and colorful fireworks against the night sky. So let’s get planning with some awesome Fourth of July party ideas! fourth of july party caramel apple

Our sister brand Celebrations has a great piece on decoration for a 4th of July brunch here. I think there are so many fun ways to incorporate the festive patriotic colors into your designs, like checkered table cloths with solid colored plates. Or utilize this fun and festive stars and lantern lights at your Fourth of July bash! (Both found at Target). Even better is this party gear kit with fun patriotic hats and décor!

This is going to be a very short post, because sometimes certain bloggers get very busy and also want to get more ideas from their very gracious readers!

In the comments section below (1-2 paragraphs) tell me how you would incorporate the following products (and the previous decor if you want!) in your own Fourth of July party! Five winners will receive the chocolate covered strawberries!

Have a great weekend of planning! 

cupcakes, Father's Day, Feedback, Fruit Club, Gift Baskets, Gift Baskets Catalog, Party!, Summer Time Gift

Celebrating Summer Fun Picnic Ideas

June 14, 2012
meat and cheese gift basket picnic

Welcome back readers,

Father’s Day weekend is here, and I spent the last few weeks drumming up gifts for Father’s Day, so I hope you have yours picked out by now! If not, you can always check back on our posts for some great ideas here, here, and here. Don’t forget the comments section for some really great ideas for Dad! For now I’ll announce our weekly winners and we’ll move on to one of my favorite topics: picnics! Congratulations to Pamela Hansen (June 8, 2012 at 8:23 am), Stacey Ellis (June 8, 2012 at 10:23 am), Jean C (June 8, 2012 at 10:28 am), Melissa (June 14, 2012 at 10:39 am), and Tiffany (June 14, 2012 at 3:24 pm)! Please send your shipping information to me at amariscal@1800flowers.com and I’ll send out your Crabtree & Evelyn® Nomad Traveler for Men.

meat and cheese gift basket picnicMy love of picnics is no secret, especially on here when we always have so many amazing gourmet gift baskets and food gifts to use for fun summer outings. Summer is in full force right now and I can’t imagine not wanting to enjoy the great outdoors, even if it’s just your local park or backyard and a basket of food. These days of nice weather will only be here for so long, and I’m dedicated to making the most of them. We’ve already talked about essentials to bring on your next picnic and a few fun dishes, but our sister brand Celebrations.com has so many delicious recipes for quick and easy finger foods as well as downright decadent desserts that I need to share with all of you!

Picnics should be about easy fun on the go. There’s no need to get super complicated with the meals you prepare or how much stuff you need to bring. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can’t make them fun or seasonal. Which is why I’m currently obsessed with Celebration.com’s finger sandwiches collection. 

You better believe that the Mini Grilled Cheese sandwiches will be a key player at all my summertime functions. Asiago, Parmesan, Fontina, Provolone, arugula, and truffle oil! I am in culinary heaven right now. I just bought a new bottle of truffle oil that I’ve been cooking everything in lately, so this is definitely my favorite sandwich of the set. Their Avocado and Tomato Finger Sandwiches are a close runner-up, because I have a lifetime commitment to all things avocado. It’s so simple, fresh, and you’ll never feel any guilt with eating your fair share of these delicate treats!

Check out more of their Tea Time and Finger Sandwich recipes here, and don’t miss out on their Top 10 Picnic Food Ideas here! 

For a cute and creative dessert that I am definitely trying out this weekend, are Celebration’s Blueberry Cupcakes in a Jar. It looks decadent but also incredibly easy to make. I have a feeling I’ll be trying out all of their Cupcake Ideas here.

meat and cheese gift basket picnicGoing back to the simplicity of picnics, you can always find something you love with our collection of gourmet gift baskets. Every gift basket is packed with gourmet foods, sides, and fun treats inside for you to try out. And all items complement each other perfectly. Everything is there waiting for you to pick it up and go! Since it’s summertime, I’m leaning towards some fresh orchard fruit and cheese gift baskets, or flavorful and hearty meat and cheese gift baskets, and of course some very tasty wine gift baskets. Take any of these out for a gourmet getaway one afternoon:

In the comments section (1-2 paragraphs) tell me which of these gifts you would pick for your picnic and things you would pair with them! FIVE  lucky and random winners will receive the Lucca & Sons™ Deluxe Meat & Cheese Box!

Have a safe and happy Father’s Day weekend!

Feedback, Fruit Club, Summer Time Gift, Thank You Gifts

Mendocino Fruit & Nut Crate

June 12, 2012

A rich and flavorful gift for every health-nut in need! Another one of our healthier gift selections, the Mendocino Fruit & Nut Crate makes the perfect summertime or anytime gift to give.

It arrives in perfect presentation, a clean sleek wooden box tray with four sections filled to the brim with delicious goods. My tray came with dried fruits such as apricots and plums, freshly roasted pistachios, and a dried fruit and nut mix. The burst of bright yellow, orange and red hues from the fruit livens up this nutritious gift and makes it very appealing to the eye. I almost did not want to disturb it, but who am I to turn away amazingly delicious snacks?

The dried fruits are packed with flavor and easy to devour. The pistachios are roasted to perfection and pair perfectly with variety of fruits they came with. 1800Baskets.com partners with Torn Ranch to bring this absolutely stunning and delicious gift. Healthy, tasty and kosher, it really will please anyone lucky enough to receive it!

I sampled some of the treats upon arrival, but have since saved these to bring with me to work, for lunch or snacking, and as a great post-workout snack to build back some energy. The fruit and nut combination is a great way to snack healthy while getting in some much needed vitamins and minerals, from lowering cholesterol to providing much needed protein.

Did you know that you can even recycle pistachio shells? Empty pistachio shells can be used as fire starter for kindling, or you can place them on the bottom of pots for your houseplants to be used as drainage and soil retention for up to two years. You can use the shells as mulch for shrubs and plants that require acid soils, particularly plants that grow blue or purple hued flowers, to retain that pigment.

Get this gift for any health-conscious friend or someone you want to say hello to! It’s perfect for summer, to enjoy with friends out in the sun. Or even during the colder months as a sweet and nutritious treat in between large holiday celebrations!

Father's Day, Feedback, Fruit Club, Summer Time Gift, Thank You Gifts

Sweet & Succulent Summer Bing Cherry Gift Box

June 12, 2012
cherries gift summer

cherries gift summerA 1800Baskets.com exclusive gift, our bright and succulent Bing cherries are the perfect gift for Summer! Keep a healthy gift in mind without compromising on great taste.

The Sweet & Succulent Summer Bing Cherry Gift Box was definitely a delicious surprise to receive. The box was still cold when it was delivered and inside was the largest, most flavorful farmer’s market cherries I’d seen this summer. Varying in hues of bright red to deep maroon, all cherries were packed with decadent juicy flavor. Obviously I needed to sample a handful of the cherries as soon as I opened the box. They were too good to pass up. And you’re all lucky I stopped myself in time to grab at least one picture.

This makes such a great gift for any health-minded friend and leaves them with endless possibilities to use their gift. They can be enjoyed as is, benefitting from the high antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. You can bake them in a pie, cobbler, or in any of your everyday cooking. Add them to any dessert for an additional treat; dipped in chocolate or with whipped cream, they’re bound to please!

I’ve never been one for cherry pies, but this cherry cobbler recipe looked too good to not share!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups pitted sour cherries
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the butter in a 9×13 inch baking dish, and place in the oven to melt while the oven is preheating. Remove as soon as butter has melted, about 5 minutes.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, and baking powder. Mix in the milk until well blended, then pour the batter into the pan over the butter. Do not stir.
  • Rinse out the bowl from the batter, and dry. Place cherries into the bowl, and toss with the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour. Distribute the cherry mixture evenly over the batter. Do not stir.
  • Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the cobber should come out clean.
Customer Appreciation, Father's Day, Gift Baskets, Gift Baskets Catalog, Summer Time Gift

Pampering Gift Ideas for Father’s Day

June 7, 2012

Welcome back baskets readers,

I hope you all enjoyed taking my silly father’s day quiz last week and maybe even felt inspired in what to do for your own dad! I have some more fun gifts for Dad to talk about today, but before we get to that, let’s announce winners! Congratulations to Carmen Guajardo (May 31, 2012 at 6:18 pm), Kirby D. (June 1, 2012 at 8:49 pm), Lucy (June 2, 2012 at 12:51 pm), Will (June 6, 2012 at 4:42 am), and Ben G (June 7, 2012 at 12:47 pm)! Send your shipping information to me at amariscal@1800flowers.com and I can send out your delicious Father’s Day tool kit prize! Now on with the show…

So, who would have thought I would have so much to talk about all these weeks for Father’s Day? (Certainly not me) Father’s Day gifts are usually the hardest for me to decide on because I think Dads are pretty hard to read. We have this one holiday and maybe a few sporting events that are really marketed towards gifts for Dad and the rest of the year we’re left floundering on our own! Do Dad’s really enjoy whacky ties and comical coffee mugs? Or is that what we all established because no one could think of anything better to get for Father’s Day?

This week’s collection of Father’s Day gift ideas will center on pampering Pop! Maybe Dad doesn’t like to admit it, but we bet a day of relaxation and pampering is exactly what he’s looking for. Sports, candy and electronics are nice gifts for Dad, but we think that he’s certain to love some of our more indulgent gifting suggestions.

A certain blogger recently went for a professional massage as a pre-birthday thing and is now obsessed. I will recommend these to anyone and everyone I can. However, you can make the gift more special when you put your own personal touch to it. Write a great card for Dad that he can hang on to and read over and over again. Up the comfort level and include a cozy robe or house shoes. Or, get a massage gift card and attach it to another relaxing gift like our Crabtree & Evelyn® Nomad Traveler for Men or Muir Woods Triple French-milled Soaps for Him, so that he can continue his spa treatment at home!

If his favorite Father’s Day gifts have always been the edible kind, get him a gift with real excellent taste. Pamper his taste buds with a little bit of wine tasting and fresh gourmet treats. We have complementing wine sets and fruit gift baskets galore! You’ll find farm-fresh fruits like oranges, apples, pears and more in our organic and fresh fruit gift baskets. Accompanying these delightful fruits are fresh gourmet cheeses, nuts, and more nutritiously delicious treats! It’s a refreshing delight for summer and one that won’t require an intense workout after consumption.

Our picks:

We’ve already talked about gift suggestions and gifts you’d like for Father’s Day, so let’s try something new! In the comments section (1-2 paragraphs), tell me about the most unusual or unique Father’s Day gift you’ve seen or heard of! FIVE lucky winners will receive the Crabtree & Evelyn® Nomad Traveler for Men!

Happy Father’s Day!

Customer Appreciation, Father's Day, Feedback, Gift Baskets, Gift Baskets Catalog, Summer Time Gift

Father’s Day Gifts Guide

May 31, 2012
classic bbq gift set for dad

Welcome back readers!

You all had a lot of great Father’s Day gift suggestions and I will definitely be stealing a few! We’ve got some fun stuff ahead so let’s get to it.Congratulations to Patricia Sauber (May 24, 2012 at 4:47 pm), Mike (May 25, 2012 at 11:11 pm), Roxanne (May 26, 2012 at 3:37 pm), Josh (May 31, 2012 at 8:57 am), and Terry (May 31, 2012 at 8:57 am)! Please send your information to me at amariscal@1800flowers.com and I’ll send out your Stubbs BBQ gift set!

Have you picked out the perfect gift for dad yet? June is only a skip away. Dads tend to be a lot harder to shop for sometimes. I can never tell if I’m getting a gift that will be well used or one that will end up collecting dust. I’m positive though, that you can never go wrong with a tasty food gift. We just got some new and delicious Father’s Day gifts in and I thought it would be a great idea to showcase them with a little gift guide quiz I’m sure most of you are familiar with. It’s time to play Guess That Dad!

When you’re done taking our little Father’s Day Gift Quiz, tell me in the comments section (1-2 paragraphs) which answer you got and come up with your own gift idea that would fit! FIVE lucky and random commenters will win the Father’s Day Handyman’s Snack Gift Toolbox!

Enjoy! 

 

Q: What is the one object your Dad can’t live without?

A) The grill, definitely.
B) His golf set
C) Toolbox
D) A deck of cards

Q: What is Dad’s favorite show to watch?

A) Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
B) Sports Center
C) Holmes on Homes
D) Any game show, he’s tuned in.

Q: What’s the one thing you learned from Dad?

A) To try new things
B) To have a great deal of patience
C) To be self-reliant
D) To look at situations from all angles

Q: What is Dad’s favorite shirt to wear?

A) “Kiss the Cook” shirt
B) A polo shirt
C) It’s more of an oil rag now…
D) Short sleeve button-up

Q: Dad’s favorite color?

A) Red
B) Green
C) Brown
D) Black

Q: It’s Sunday afternoon, where is your Dad?

A) Cooking dinner!
B) Out on the green hitting a few tees while the sun is out
C) With his head under the hood of his car
D) Shhh…he just missed that hand!

 

Did you get…

classic bbq gift set for dadMostly A’s: He’s a natural born chef! You can always find him trying out a new recipe, rub or seasoning and ready to entertain the whole family! We’re sure he’d love this Dad’s Classic BBQ Grill Gift Set.

 

 

 

 

golf tote gift for fathers dayMostly B’s: Dad’s a very relaxed guy and easy-going. He enjoys a nice snack, and a gift with meaning. Get him a great gift that he’ll love like this Golf Tote Bag with Snacks.

 

 

 

 

 

tool box gift for dadMostly C’s: No matter what the problem, no one can fix it quite like Dad. He’s been your personal handy man for as long as you can remember. Fix his hunger with this Father’s Day Handyman’s Snack Gift Toolbox.

 

 

 

 

game gift for fathers dayMostly D’s: Always calculating the odds, Dad is there for an answer when you need him most. The best way to Dad’s heart this Father’s Day is with this lucky treat! Get him the Happy Father’s Day Gaming & Poker Bin.

Customer Appreciation, Feedback, Gift Baskets, Gift Baskets Catalog, Summer Time Gift, Thank You Gifts

Gourmet Organic Gift Basket

May 29, 2012
gourmet organic gift basket

gourmet organic gift basketA gourmet gift basket that looks good, tastes good and IS good for you! The Gourmet Organic Gift Basket is USDA Organic and unbelievably delicious.  Continue Reading…

Customer Appreciation, Feedback, Gift Baskets, Gift Baskets Catalog, Summer Time Gift, Teacher Appreciation, Thank You Gifts

Thoughts of You Stationery & Tea Gift Basket

May 29, 2012
Thoughts of You Stationery & Tea Gift Basket

Thoughts of You Stationery & Tea Gift BasketA beautiful gift for your most thoughtful friend or family member! The Thoughts of You Stationery & Tea Gift Basket is definitely one of my favorite gifts from 1800baskets.

In a soft woven Lavender basket that is completely perfect for spring, is an assortment of stationary including a large notepad, small notepad, and 10 notecards with envelopes. All are decorated with beautiful purple and green spring prints and the cards are printed with a “Thinking of You” message, handy for thoughtful recipient who loves to let those close to them know that they are thought of.  Continue Reading…

Customer Appreciation, Feedback, Gift Baskets, Gift Baskets Catalog, Summer Time Gift, Thank You Gifts

Wine Picnic Backpack Gift Basket

May 29, 2012
wine picnic backpack gift basket

wine picnic backpack gift basketAnother great, unique gift basket that is begging to be brought out! One of my most exciting gifts to review was definitely the Wine Picnic Backpack Gift Basket.  Continue Reading…

Customer Appreciation, Feedback, Gift Baskets, Gift Baskets Catalog, Summer Time Gift

Gourmet Garden Tote with Tools Gift Basket

May 29, 2012
Gourmet Garden Gift with tools gift basket

Gourmet Garden Gift with tools gift basketThe best thing about spring has to be all the fresh flowers and gardens blooming to life. There is something about those fresh floral fragrances in the air that completes the feeling of spring for me. This past Mother’s Day, I decided I would help out my Mom in the yard and get her some pretty flowers and plants to add to her garden. To make the day extra special, I also included this wonderfully original gift, the Gourmet Garden Tote with Tools Gift Basket!  Continue Reading…